The Sultan Ahmed Mosque is situated in Istanbul, Turkey, and was built between 1609 and 1616. Built during the rule of Ahmed-I, the mosque contains within its premises the tomb of the founder, a hospice and a madrasa. A combination of Ottoman and Byzantine architecture, the mosque has 5 main domes, 8 secondary domes and […]
Common name : Two-spined spider Scientific name : Poecilopachys australasiae Family : Araneidae Native to : Australia and New Zealand Interesting fact : Due to the 2 white horn/spine-like protrusions on the female spider, this orb-weaving spider has been popularly named ‘two-horned spider’. While the males are small (3 mm in length), the females are larger (8
Common name : Twice-stabbed lady beetle Scientific name : Chilocorus stigma Family : Coccinellidae Native to : United States and Canada Interesting fact : This beetle has a very unique colouration, with a completely black body and only 2 red spots on either side of its body, giving it the name twice-stabbed’. 3.8 to 5 mm
Angkor Thom, meaning–Great City, was built in the late 12th century in present-day Cambodia, 2 miles north of Angkor Wat.The most enduring city of the Khmer Empire, Angkor Thom, was built in Bayon style architecture. The entire city covers approximately 9 km2. The city comprises many beautifully carved temples, including the King’s state temple known
Common name : Tik-tik fly Scientific name : Glossina Family : Glossinidae Native to : Mid-continent Africa Interesting fact : Tsetse flies have been known to be around for more than 34 million years, with fossilized flies being found in the fossil beds in Colorado. Relatively large in size with adults measuring up to at least
Common name : Oriental leafworm moth Scientific name : Spodoptera litura Family : Noctuidae Native to : Indo-Australian tropics Interesting fact : The larvae of the oriental leafworm moth feed on over 40 different families of plants, making them a huge agricultural problem. The adult of the tropical armyworm has a wingspan of 4 cm, and
Common name : Tropical warehouse moth Scientific name : Ephestia cautella Family : Pyralidae Native to : Worldwide distribution Interesting fact : Since it infests grains and dried fruits, this moth has become widespread across the globe due to transport of grains. 2 cm in length, the tropical warehouse moth is very often confused with the
Once upon a time, there lived a poor shoemaker with his wife. He was an honest and a hardworking man. But still, he could not earn enough for himself and his wife. At last, he had no money left to buy leather for new shoes. All that he was left with was a last piece
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The National Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall is located in Taiwan and was built between 1976 and 1980. The hall is a Taiwanese national monument and landmark constructed in the memory of the former President of the Republic of China, Chiang Kai-Shek. A white four-walled monument with a blue octagonal roof, and two sets of stairs–each
Common name : Amazon tree ant Scientific name : Allomerus decemarticulatus Family : Formicidae Native to : South America Interesting fact : The tree ants are known for their predatory behaviour whereby they catch and immobilize their prey mostly alone, and then release pheromones to signal the others. While the worker ants are about 2
Common name : Tree weta Scientific name : Hemideina thoracica Family : Anostostomatidae Native to : New Zealand Interesting fact : The word ‘weta’ is a term native to New Zealand. ‘Weta’ is a name given to the large flightless nocturnal grasshoppers. About 40 mm in length, the tree weta can be found in tree holes
Common name : Eucalyptus tortoise beetle Scientific name : Paropsis Charybdis Family : Chrysomelidae Native to : New Zealand Interesting fact : This beetle is considered to be the worst pest for the Eucalyptus trees in New Zealand. While there are over 125 genera of tortoise beetles, the eucalyptus tortoise beetle is found specifically feeding on
The Al-Aqsa Mosque, known as ‘The Farthest Mosque’ was built in the Old City of Jerusalem in 705 AD. Considered to be the third holiest site in Islam, this silver-domed rectangular mosque strongly reflects early Islamic architecture. The interior consists of 45 marble columns and 121 stained glass windows. Amazing Fact: From 1099 till almost
Common name : Tongue eating louse Scientific name : Cymothoa exigua Family : Cymothoidae Native to : Gulf of California to Gulf of Guayaquil, Ecuador and Atlantic Interesting fact : Weirdly, this bug has received its name because it enters the body of a fish through the fish’s gills, and then latches on to the
Common name : Tomato fruitworm moth Scientific name : Helicoverpa armigera conferta Family : Noctuidae Native to : Worldwide distribution Interesting fact : The larvae of this moth feed on tomatoes and corn, tunnelling through the tomato into the fruit; giving it the popular name ‘tomato fruitworm moth’. While the moth is medium-sized with a wingspan of